A Chained Memory

Fuck! Shit! Cursed slime! Tix was cursing to herself as she carried Aura back to the house, she had just arrived at the Sanctuary with the heavily injured girl "It's my fault..." She mumbled between curses "Why did you came... I told you to wait... AARG!" She was angry, really angry, not only that fucking slime had almost killed Aura, it also ran away right into that blasted oni's club stealing her chance to avenge the girl.

As she arrived, Tix opened the door with a kick, making sure everyone inside heard it, she had stabilized the girl but she couldn't heal her broken bones, it was painful for her to see Aura in such state, so the first thing she did as she entered the house was look up for Ix or Adrianna, they could heal her... Shit, she would ask even Xana.

She started to run around the house, carefully so Aura wouldn't hit anything Fuck, where is everyone!? The first room she came by was Xana's room, Tix started to knock on the door, more desperated by the minute but no one answered Shit, the only time I might need her... She kept going, next one was Ix's with some luck, she would be inside studying.

Knock, Knock, Knock Ix was reading one of her books about magic with she heard the knocking on the door, whoever it was sure was desperated, she hurried to the door and opened just to find Tix and a severe injured Aura on the other side "What happened!?" The girl asked, but Tix said nothing, Ix knew what that meant, Aura was first "Put her on the ground." As Tix gently left Aura on the ground, Ix kneeled next to her and started to heal her "It will take a while... But I think I can heal her broken bones... Just what happened... Aura..."

As Ix continued to channel her magic, she noticed something. Aura's body was healing at a rapid pace, much faster than a normal person. All of the studies she had undergone were finally starting to pay off. Ix saw the finer details of the healing process, amplified by Aura's natural ability to regenerate. A closer observation had her see that Aura was using some form of magic on her own body even while unconscious and, excepting the lack of runes, was not that different from her own.

"Tix..." Aura murmured, still not awake. Her body was relaxing. In a couple of minutes, it looked nothing like before. There was no sign of injury anymore.

Tix kneeled next to Aura, seeing her in that state made her furious... Furious at that monster who hurt her this badly... Furious at the oni who crushed that monster... Furious at herself for not being able to protect her... And yet... She seemed to not hate her... Why? "Aura?" She asked hoping the girl would wake up.

The woman with ashen hair called out her name... but she did not answer. Aura was caught in a limbo; not fully awake but not truly unconscious either. It seemed to always have been the case with her. This time, she dreamed of Tix saving her life from the all-devouring darkness.

Tix stood by her side and called out her name; Aura could hear the voice clearly. It was furious, yet filled with concern. She did not answer. She could not answer. Everything hurt - her body was on fire. Tix's form leaned over hers. Aura could feel her hair gently tickling her cheeks and then...

Another couple of minutes passed; Tix vainly called her name again. But it was not Aura who would answer.

Jennifer heard the crashing kick at the front door, jumping slightly at the sound. She looked her head out of her room just in time to see Tix holding what appeared to be a particularly mangled looking Aura.
"Switch with me." came an eerily calm voice from inside her.
"What are you going to-" Jennifer began, only to be interrupted by a more assertive voice.
"Switch with me!"

Tam followed into Ix's room to see Ix dealing with what was clearly extensive injuries.
"What. The fuck. Happened?" Tam demanded, her voice not loud, yet there was clearly a burning rage inside her, and Tam was making no effort to hide it.

Tix looked at Tam, she could understand her rage, she was furious as well and was ready to take Tam's "Aura felt that midara and we went after her, as soon as the monster saw her, jumped at her trying to kill her, I was able to stop her and make her pay but before I could finish that thing it ran away an stupid oni finished her off."

Tam narrowed her eyes, her tone remaining low, but a sting to her voice as she held herself back from just exploding.
"You took her out of Sanctuary. Alone. To investigate some midara threat?" Tam asked, gritting her teeth.

"I did." Tix replied, she knew what was coming but she was ready to take the blame "I asked her to point directions, it's my fault."

Tam took in a deep breath.
"You had better have a good fucking reason for doing that." Tam responded, expectantly. "At least tell me that whatever did this has been fucking destroyed."

"Aura was suffering each time she felt this midara." Tix explained "And yes, a fucking oni crushed that thing."

Tam stared at Tix silently, a tail manifesting behind her, and violently shaking, almost forming a whip.
"And you went alone? And you let her fight?" Tam asked, her voice raising in volume. "What the fuck were you thinking, you bull headed moron! I'd expect this sort of thing from your sisters, but I never thought I'd see the day when you acted so completely thoughtless!" She turned to look at Ix. "No offence."

"I didn't let her fight, I told her to run! You idiot, do you really think I would let her fight!?" Tix replied, clearly annoyed and offended.

Tam frowned.
"If anything like this happens again, you come to me." Tam stated, not waiting for a response.

She then turned her attention to Aura.
"Aura, are you awake?" She asked, sounding slightly calmer, but looking no less angry.

Aura slowly opened her eyes just as Tam called for her. The sight of Ix at her side made her smile. She was always there for her... but this time she was not alone. Tix and Tam were also there... and they did not look happy.

Her body was still numb and jolts of pain coursed through whenever she tried to move. After a few attempts at getting up, she gave up, remaining still on the floor. "Yes..." her voice was weak and frail.

Tam's eye twitched. She was mad with Aura, but it certainly wasn't easy when she sounded so pitiful. She decided to tone it down a little.
"What were you thinking, putting yourself at risk?" Tam asked in an almost parental voice. "If Tix told you to run, you should have run."

Tix felt glad the moment Aura opened her eyes "Don't do that again, okay? You could have died there." Tix added with the same parental voice.

Aura tried again to move and face them but all she could face was the ceiling.

"I felt drawn to the midara. I could not stop thinking about what it might do to Tix..." she responded. "When I saw Tix and that girl surrounded... I could not stop myself." she yelped, holding in tears.

Without much warning, Tix pulled Aura into a hug "Silly, I had everything under control, you have to trust me a little more, okay?"

Tam let out a sigh.
"Tix can look after herself. In fact, it's one of the things she's really good at." Tam commented, not looking at Tix as she said it. After all, god forbid she complimented her to her face.

Seeing the pair of them hugging banished the remaining rage from Tam, though her concern was still there. She flashed her tail forward to wrap up the pair in her, now, exceptionally comfortable tail, before joining them in the embrace.
"Promise me you won't be so thoughtless from now on." Tam stated. "That's to both of you."

"Brothers, I have stumbled upon this drink known as 'Mountain Dew'! I question how someone can drink this green, sugary carbonated beverage."

The sound of heavy footsteps reverberated throughout the Sanctuary as an armored giant walked into the room, several green bottles in his gauntlet-clad arms before he stopped, staring at the three of them. His helmet, a fierce visage, gazed at the three women, a deep, modulated voice erupting from the mouthpiece.

"Ah. I seem to have come in at a bad time. Did you two end up adopting a small child since the last time I was here? Congratulations!"

Tix looked at Tam and for once she didn't insult or argue with her "Fine, fine, I'll listen to you for once and you too, Aura, next time I say run, you run, okay?" The touching moment was soon interrupted by the entrance of the space marine "W-We didn't adopt her! We are just comforting her."

Aura could not take it anymore; she could not hold back the tears. At this moment the girl wished nothing more than to be able to hug them back. "I am sorry..." she cried. "So sorry..."

Tix kept hugging Aura "It's okay, it's all over now, Aura."

Barchiel silently watched the events unfold, before walking over and placing a few bottles of Mountain Dew on the table. "It is remarkable what the citizens of the Imperium can make."

Ix had already finished healing Aura, looked at Barchiel "Ah, Mr.Barchiel, long time no see." She greeted him with a smile.

Cue to Pix entering while riding a little ball, crashing into Barchiel and staring at him once she got up.